The Good, the Bad and the Ugly from Oklahoma State’s Loss at Kansas

The Cowboys, once again, came up short, but this time there were some things for fans to get excited about. That’s just where the program is at this point.

Oklahoma State showed some fight early and then some fight late, but miscues and misses took the spotlight from what was a really nice showing from quarterback Zane Flores. It’s there we can start our Superlatives.

The Good: Wow, an Offense.

For the first time in nearly a month, the Cowboys started an actual rostered quarterback behind center, and Zane Flores was showing no rust.

He completed 13 of his first 14 pass attempts and threw his first college TD on the opening drive. He finished with a career high in yards (235), touchdowns (two) and completion rate (79%).

Zooming out, the most encouraging development is that OSU’s offense is actually capable of moving the ball down the field with an adequate passer. No shade at Sam Jackson V, but he’s back to where he should be, making plays on the receiving end. He had a couple of nice plays in the third quarter (one for 26 yards) and had a 16-yard jet sweep called back for an illegal shift penalty.

OSU’s 244 passing yards were the most since its Big 12 opener against Baylor, and Flores’ 172.6 passer rating is the best by any starting Cowboy quarterback all year. They might not have turned into the 2017 Pokes, but this at least showed the Cowboys are capable of moving the football down the field with a QB.

The Bad: Ground Support

Despite the surge in passing production, the Cowboys still couldn’t move the ball on the turf, and that allowed Kansas to dictate momentum for much of the game and own the clock when it mattered.

Oklahoma State managed just 72 yards on the ground and 2.3 yards per carry. Those are better only than the 45 yards and 1.5 yards per carry against Houston this season — and that’s for a team that came in ranked 96th in rushing offense and 111th in YPC. When the Jayhawks took the lead they were able to hold onto it by enforcing their will in the run game.

The time of possession total for the game is essentially equal, but that’s inflated on the Pokes’ side by their nearly nine-minute second drive (one which ended with the missed field goal). KU took a 31-14 lead, answering OSU’s second TD drive with a three-minute possession. Then, after OSU turned it over on downs, Kansas held the rock for six and a half minutes, taking 10 plays to score a 39-yard rushing touchdown, their third of the game.

Kansas finished with 232 rushing yards and those three scores at 5.9 per attempt. And this lopsided ground effort came against a team that ranks one spot lower than the Cowboys (14th) in rushing defense in the league.

The Ugly: Special Teams Snafus

The Cowboys gave up six points on a missed 44-yard field goal and then a blocked 19-yard attempt. Make those two and it’s 13-10 OSU at the half instead of 10-7 Kansas.

Then, the Cowboys’ first drive of the second half, a Gavin Freeman fumbled kickoff return to set OSU up at its own 13-yard line. That resulted in OSU’s first punt, a three-and-out. To add injury to insult, that empty drive was bookended by consecutive TD drives to start the third quarter for KU.

Then, after OSU scored a touchdown to pull within 24-14 in the third quarter — making the Rock Chalk hopefuls a tad bit nervous — the Cowboys immediately gave up a 56-yard kickoff return that set up a short field and the Kansas touchdown that effectively did them in.

Special teams matter. It’s the phase of football that you typically only pay attention to when there’s a problem and issues of which point to an undisciplined team. I don’t think hanging that sign on Pistol Pete is going to ruffle many feathers, but it’s just an indicator of some of the issues with this team. And one that hamstringed the Cowboys on Saturday.